There's no denying that Baker Mayfield's move to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers has been a win-win.
The franchise has won two division titles in three seasons, while Baker has made two Pro Bowls in that span as well.
But the Buccaneers got Mayfield for cheap, signing him to a three-year, $100 million deal, and it is here where things could get sticky.
The 2026 season is Mayfield's last before he becomes a free agent, plus per Spotrac.com, he has a $51 million cap hit in 2026.
For The Athletic's Saad Yousuf, Mayfield's contract is a big watch over the coming months.
"One thing that has snuck up on them is Baker Mayfield’s contract," Yousuf wrote. "Next season is the final year of Mayfield’s current deal. He’s worth it for his current price tag, but the question will be how much he’s looking for on his next deal, and how high the Bucs are willing to go, especially with uncertainty looming at head coach."
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Mayfield's contract the elephant in the room
Baker is fully deserving of a new contract after his exploits over the last three years, but Mayfield won't be agreeing to a three-year, $100 million deal this time, right?
Mayfield's $33.3 million APY for his current deal will likely mean he's looking for more this time around, we would expect.
So, what's a number Tampa Bay could be looking at? It would be under $50 million; that's a certainty.
Kyler Murray ($46 million APY), Kirk Cousins ($45 million APY), and Geno Smith ($37 million APY) are all above Mayfield, per Spotrac.com.
Could Baker settle somewhere in between? Absolutely.
Of course, it will also be up to the Buccaneers and how much they want to pay Baker.
Keep an eye on this over the coming months, folks.
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